Special programs set up in schools, such as international programs or concentrations in arts and sports, should be open to all students, according to Québec solidaire.
The solidarity responsible for Education, Ruba Ghazal, is going out on Wednesday to ask the Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, to make these projects universally accessible.
In his opinion, there should be no selection based on grades, behavior or money to gain access to these programs.
“Being enrolled in a concentration in science or music, for example, motivates our young people and stimulates academic success,” argued Mme Ghazal in a press release.
“Equal opportunities have long been the pride of Quebec, if we want that to continue, all students who want to register for a particular project must have access to it,” she added.
According to her, “when we refuse a young person to do what they like on the basis of their grades or their financial means, we send them a negative message and we harm their academic success.”
Québec solidaire estimates that this change would cost $65 million, in particular to abolish fees for current special programs.
In its 2023-2024 Action Plan, presented last summer, the Ministry of Education indicated that 44.6% of secondary school students participated in a particular educational project during the last school year.
The ministry wants this proportion to reach 75% in 2026-2027.